The invention relates to a control unit which comprises one or more switches, capable of being accommodated in an aperture in a trim component installed inside the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, and which is capable of being attached, in a manner permitting removal, to bases which are connected to electrical leads.
It is known to install control units, in the passenger compartments of motor vehicles, in a manner whereby they are integrated into trim components. This installation is effected by clipping the switch itself, or its base, into the corresponding trim component, or by some similar attachment method. With this type of installation, it is necessary to make the lead connections to the control unit, outside the trim, either during initial assembly, or whenever a switch is replaced.
This requirement necessitates that the incoming leads be overlength, by quite a considerable margin.
It has now been found, when several switches are arranged on a small area, that the profusion of cables associated therewith causes, as a result of the restricted space available to the designer, backward-displacement forces which act in the opposite direction to the direction in which installation is carried out, thereby rendering the installation of the switch more difficult and, in some cases, even pushing the switch out of its installation position.
Accordingly, it is an object of the invention to produce a new and improved control unit.
Another object of the invention is a control unit capable of integration into a trim component installed inside a passenger compartment of a motor vehicle.
Another object of the invention is the elimination of disadvantages obtained with prior art devices in order to provide an arrangement which is easy to install and which requires only minimal cable-lengths.
Another object of the invention is the production of a control unit wich comprises one or more switches, and is capable of being accommodated in an aperture in a trim component installed inside the passenger compartment of a motor vehicle, and which is capable of being attached, in a manner permitting removal, to bases which are connected to electrical leads, wherein the bases are arranged on a common baseplate and the baseplate can be connected to the trim component by clipping in, or by a similar method, in such a manner that the baseplate can be shifted in the plane defined by its outline and can be fixed only by means of a masking plate which is designed as a cover panel and is configured to be capable of connection to a baseplate in a manner stabilizing its position.
Another object of the invention is a control unit wherein a masking plate possesses centering sleeves which engage, during the assembly operation, associated centering pins which project from the baseplate.
A further object of the invention is a control unit having a masking plate with centering sleeves which engage centering pins which project from the baseplate during the assembly operation wherein the baseplate possesses at least one hand-hold.